Laura Martinez
Human: Nature
Watercolor
We are aware that the composition of nutrients in soil is what inhibits and assists a tree’s growth, yet we reflect on ourselves and often don’t acknowledge that we are a result of the landscape we live in. What would change if we viewed humans as an extension of the natural environment opposed to simultaneous but separate worlds?
Artist Statement
European cultures and those descended from it have historically separated human and natural domains. To be part of one is to exclude the other. I wanted this piece to show how interwoven the two are, and how much of human behavior and culture mirrors this. This connects to both the RSENR mission question’s theme, with solutions to many climate-based problems springing from this integration of human and ecological needs, and my personal perspective, where I am an extension of not just my family and community, but the landscape I live with.